Lawal Tolulope

Lawal Tolulope
B.Ed., M.A., M.Ed., PhD (student)

Tolu is an educator and researcher pursuing her Ph.D. in the Faculty of Education at Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN). With a strong academic foundation, Tolu earned a First-Class (distinction) Bachelor of Education in Education and Political Science from Osun State University in Nigeria, followed by a First-Class (Distinction) Master of Arts in Education at Liverpool Hope University, where she was awarded the International Postgraduate Scholarship. Her academic journey continued with securing School of Graduate Studies (SGS) funding for a thesis-based Master of Education in Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning (CTLS) at MUN, where her thesis focused on developing an analytic tool for educators to identify books that qualified as anti-racist children's literature. Tolu aspires to become a well-researched and impactful educator.

Tolu recently received full funding from SGS to pursue her doctoral degree. Her research interests lie at the intersection of anti-racist literature and the role of educators in racial and ethnic socialization (RES). As a K-12 teacher with experience in Nigeria, England, and St. John's, Newfoundland, she has actively engaged in seminars and presentations on antiracism topics, including a recent doctoral seminar at the Faculty of Education. Tolu has also delivered invited talks in Grade 7 to grade 12 settings on race, identity, and cultural respect in educational settings, demonstrating her commitment to promoting equity and inclusion. In addition to her research, Tolu has been involved in various academic and community engagements. She currently serves as a graduate assistant, conducting a mixed-method study on restorative justice in Newfoundland, and has been an active member of the planning committee for doctoral seminars at the faculty of education.

Tolu will be presenting at conferences, such as the upcoming Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Antiracism (EDI-AR) conference and the Atlantic Education Graduate Student Conference (AEGSC), further showcasing her dedication to advancing discussions around these critical issues in education. She will present her studies, which explore the complexities of identity, emotional experiences in anti-racist research, and the importance of narrative in shaping identity for researchers in this field.  

Outside of her academic pursuits, Tolu values family time and enjoys expressing herself through dance and singing. Her holistic approach to education, combined with her research endeavours, positions her as a forward-thinking educator who is not only focused on understanding the past and present but also on shaping a more equitable future for education. With her impressive credentials and a clear vision for her role as an educator, Tolu is poised to make significant contributions to education and anti-racist pedagogy.